General Information

The purpose of circuit protection is to protect the wiring assembly during normal and overload conditions. An overload is defined as a current requirement that is higher than normal. This overload could be caused by a short circuit or system malfunction. The short circuit could be the result of a pinched or cut wire or an internal device short circuit, such as an electronic module failure.

The circuit protection device is only applied to protect the wiring assembly, and not the electrical load at the end of the assembly. For example, if an electronic component short circuits, the circuit protection device will assure a minimal amount of damage to the wiring assembly. However, it will not necessarily prevent damage to the component.

There are three basic types of circuit protection devices: Circuit Breaker, Fuse and Fusible Link.